Minister Benn discloses rehabilitative strategies for the mentally-ill

By Delana Isles
THE US$2M Onverwagt facility that Government is soon to construct to accommodate the mentally unsound from in and around the city will have the capacity to house more than 400 persons.

This disclosure was made recently by Minister of Public Works and Communication, Robeson Benn.

Benn said his Ministry is still finalising the design for the facility and this will be released to the public soon. He added that other details, such as proportion of space allocation for inmates, methodologies for their care, and other support services which will be provided at the facilities are also still being worked out.

The Minister noted that some of these services will include workshops so that the residents could be rehabilitated and provided with skills-training, among other restorative initiatives; adding that all the components have to be developed in the estimates.

He alluded to an earlier announcement by Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon, that basic approval has been given by cabinet for the establishment of the facility at the West Coast Berbice location.

Minister Benn said the building is intended to deal with all of those people who are on the streets and are mentally unstable.

“It is thought that medical healthcare, along with psychiatric care, will be provided; that people will not be there on a long-term basis; and some people will move through with training…so, based on our estimation, we think we will have a sizable facility,” he remarked.

Another area that the Works Ministry will be addressing, according to the Minister, is the continuous maintenance programme, with respect to the highways; making them safer, improving the traffic situation, having lower costs to transit of our highways, and making them safe and efficient.

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